


The Senseless Days

by MyBelovedMavin



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: M/M, Mention of Death, mention of suicide, supernatural au?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-20
Updated: 2015-04-20
Packaged: 2018-03-24 23:22:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3788143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyBelovedMavin/pseuds/MyBelovedMavin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gavin thought a change of scenery would make a difference, but, in the end, he just needed someone to understand.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Senseless Days

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I guess you could call this some sort of supernatural au?

Gavin thought Austin was a great city and the people were generally very nice, but he still felt like he didn’t really fit in. It’s hard to be the new guy at school to begin with, but it’s even worse when you’re the new guy in the city and in the country as well. 

Last year, Gavin was thinking about going to high school in the United States. He discussed it many a time with his parents and once he told them his reasons for it, they thought it was a great idea. Gavin had felt stuck in England. Like every day was more or less the same and that his existence didn’t really make a difference. Going to America could possibly change everything. Not only was it an amazing experience, it also gave Gavin the opportunity to start fresh. His reputation wasn’t necessarily bad at his old school, but it wasn’t ideal either. In his first year, Gavin was still very shy and, on top of that, he had a giant nose. That didn’t really help him to stay under the radar. A lot of his classmates had started to make jokes about Pinocchio and asked him how many lies he told to get a nose that big. All this bullying made him avoid any and all students, so he felt lonely quite frequently. As he grew older, he also began to grow into his nose, so to speak, and it actually started to suit him. Unfortunately, bullies will always find a way to make you feel worthless, so whenever Gavin did anything awkward or clumsy, they were all over him.

Gavin was sick of it. He was rather careful now and his nose didn’t look that ridiculous anymore, but the bullies never forgave and they never forgot. In Texas, no one would know about any of this. To Gavin America sounded like salvation.

The reason he went to Texas, specifically Austin, in the end, was because his father knew a very nice man who lived there with his wife and who was more than happy to take him in.  The man, Geoff, was a fun guy, who could be stern and father-like when he had to be. Gavin liked him immediately. Griffon, his wife, was also a little bit like that, but she’d leave the parenting side to her husband. They were a great couple though.

Gavin arrived at the Ramsey residence a few weeks before school began, so that he’d have some time to adjust and get used to the way of living on the other side of the world. Apart from the hot Texas sun, it wasn’t all that hard.  
  


* * *

  
Or so he thought. Apparently, Gavin’s new school had its fair share of bullies as well. His nose wasn’t the talk of the day though, it was his accent and his hair. Some of the girls thought his accent was sexy, but all the other students thought it sounded ridiculous and that Gavin was being pretentious. Even in England Gavin’s accent was a little thick, so there was no way he could hide it from anyone.

America started to be just as awful as England. Once again, Gavin tried to avoid his classmates and, actually, tried to become invisible in general. Luckily, he had some distraction. He could try to focus on his studies more and then there also was the tree at the edge of the school grounds. No one ever came there. It was a long walk from the school, so that might explain it. Anyway, the big willow there was standing all by itself, only a few flowers and weeds surrounding it. It soon became Gavin’s favorite place to be, not only between classes, but also after school.

Gavin didn’t see himself as incredibly creative, because he could never come up with amazingly innovative and new ideas, but he did feel like he was a pretty decent writer. Writing allowed him to forget everything that was going on and escape to a place in his mind, a fictional place he created himself.  
  


* * *

  
One day, when Gavin was sitting under the willow, he heard some kind of scraping above him. He quickly shoved his notepad into his backpack, not wanting anyone to see his writing. When he looked up, past the lower branches, he saw someone sitting in the top of the tree. Gavin wanted to call out to them, but was too afraid to do so and, instead, decided to just watch the figure in the tree. There was some more scraping and some grumbling when a fumbled up piece of paper came falling down. After giving the figure a last quick glance, to make sure they weren’t looking, Gavin picked it up. When he smoothed the piece of paper out he noticed it was a drawing. It was quite a neat drawing too. It was a portrait of a guy with rather messy hair and a nose that wasn’t exactly in proportion.

“What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?!” Gavin yelled out of the blue.

The person didn’t react to him in the slightest. 

“Oi! I’m talking to you!” Gavin yelled out.

Again, the person didn’t even move.

“What a prick.” Gavin muttered to himself as he started to climb the tree. Which wasn’t easy, because he still hadn’t fully outgrown his clumsiness. When he finally got to the stranger’s level, he threw the drawing in their lap, or to be more precise, his lap. The stranger turned out to be a young, very pale guy with curly, red hair.

“What the fuck!” The stranger yelped and nearly fell out of the tree, dropping his sketchbook and pencil in the progress.

“My thoughts exactly when I saw that bloody drawing!” Gavin said.

The boy just stared at him with wide eyes and an open mouth.

“Can you explain this?” Gavin asked, pressuring the guy into actually saying something.

“Uhm, I’m sorry?” The stranger replied with a whisper.

“Did you actually draw me?”

“Yes, I’m sorry, I won’t do it again.” The guy apologized, speaking a little louder.

“Damn right, it’s creepy!” Gavin sneered.

The redhead looked at Gavin with sad and apologetic eyes, but he didn’t say anything else.

“Don’t come to this tree again if all you want to do is observe me.” Gavin said, starting to climb down again. Going down the tree was a lot easier than going up it, especially because he jumped the last few feet to the ground.

“W-Wait! What’s your name?” The guy asked.

“See if you find out by spying on me. Bye!”

With that Gavin stormed off, accidentally-on-purpose crushing the creep’s fallen pencil.  
  


* * *

  
“Didn’t I tell you to leave yesterday?” Gavin yelled as soon as he came close to the tree. He actually hadn’t expected to find the guy here after school too.

“To be precise, you told me to leave if all I wanted to do was observe you and that’s not what I’m here for.” The guy answered from atop his branch, a smug expression on his face.

“Then what is it you’re here for?”

“You wouldn’t understand. Anyway, I still don’t know your name.” The guy answered, dropping to a lower branch.

“It’s Gavin, and you are?” Gavin asked out of curiosity.

“I’m Michael! What are you doing here, Gav?”

“Are you calling me by a nickname already?”

“Yeah dude, we’re going to be great friends.” Michael said and grinned.

“I wouldn’t plan on it. I’m here to relax, so don’t bother me.” Gavin snapped and sat down, his back against the tree.

“You must be fun at parties.”

“No one would know.” Gavin muttered.

“What do you mean?” Michael asked.

“I don’t get invited to parties. Now shut up, I’m trying to enjoy the peace and quiet.”

For a while, there actually was peace and quiet. Gavin had pulled out his notepad again and began to continue the story he started to write yesterday. Michael hung, upside down, from the lowest branch and watched Gavin while he wrote. Neither of them made a sound, until Gavin had had enough of Michael’s staring.

“Why are you watching me?” He asked as he looked up.

“I’ve got nothing else to do.” Michael shrugged, still upside down.

“Aren’t you supposed to be drawing random students you don’t know?”

“I’d love to, but thanks to you I dropped my sketchbook and my pencil the other day! Besides, the only student I can draw is you.” Michael yelled at him.

“So?” Gavin said, trying not to sound too intimidated.

“So, I didn’t get a chance to get them back.” Michael looked really defeated.

Gavin couldn’t help but feel sorry for Michael. He never saw Michael in the classrooms or anywhere else on the school grounds but here. This was probably Michael’s favorite place to be as well. A place for him to relax and draw, but Gavin actually took that away, even if it was just for a little while. Gavin wanted to know why Michael was only able to draw him, but let decided to let is slide and not push him any further. 

“I-, I’m sorry, Michael. I’ll get you a new sketchbook and a new pencil, okay?”

“Really?”

“Sure, I’ll bring both with me tomorrow.” Gavin said and started to gather his belongings in his backpack.

“Where are you going?” Michael asked.

“Home?” Gavin answered.

“Oh, okay then. In that case, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” Michael sounded sad.

“Yeah. Bye, Michael.” Gavin said and waved.

“Bye, Gavin.” Michael waved back.  
  


* * *

  
“Michael!” Gavin yelled out.

Immediately after his last class he ran to the tree. He hadn’t forgotten to bring a new sketchbook and pencil for Michael today and he was looking forward to giving both to him all day.

“Gavin?” 

Gavin looked up when he’d heard his name. Michael was looking for him from the very top of the tree. When Michael finally noticed Gavin directly underneath him, waving a new sketchbook around, he quickly climbed down to the lowest branch. 

“You actually fulfilled your promise?” Michael smiled as Gavin handed him the brand new sketchbook and the pencil.

“Of course I did! I brought you a mechanical pencil. I thought that might be easier for you, because you are always sitting in the tree. 

“Thank you, Gav. This is great.” Michael beamed.

Michael immediately dived into his new sketchbook and Gavin sat down to write again. The only sounds came from the wind and their pencils moving across paper.

“I’m sorry I spied on you.” Michael suddenly said.

“It’s okay, I’m sorry I got mad at you.” Gavin replied.

“I told you we were going to be great friends.” Michael chuckled.

“Don’t push it, Michael,” Gavin said, also with a smile on his face, “I’ll see you again tomorrow, I have to go.”

“Already?”

“Yeah, I promised I’d be home early today.”

“Okay. Until tomorrow.” Michael said, disappointed.

“Bye!” Gavin waved.

“Bye,” Michael waved back, dropping his new pencil in the process, “Fuck.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get it.”

“Thanks.” Michael said as he reached out his hand to take the pencil from Gavin.

“Bloody hell!” Gavin yelped as he accidentally touched Michael’s hand while giving it to him.

“What?” Michael asked, quickly pulling away his hand.

“Y- your hand. It’s so cold…” Gavin stammered.

“Oh yeah, bad circulation, I guess.” Michael explained nervously.

Gavin couldn’t seem to get rid of the icy feeling on his way home, something about it was just plain wrong.  
  


* * *

  
His day started out great, but the way it ended couldn’t be worse for Gavin. When he got home he found out he’d failed a test and just when he thought the bullying became less, his bullies reassured him that he still was one of their favorite targets. Yes, the bullying at school had decreased, but the bullies had switched to a new platform. Online bullying was pretty popular among them and so was Gavin.

When Gavin simply couldn’t handle all the hate, jokes, comments and rumors directed at him anymore, he had to get away from it all. He’d told Geoff and Griffon that he wanted to go for a walk because he liked the exercise, but actually, he just needed some silence and a place to think.

So of course he went to the tree.

When he got there he set his emotions free and started to cry. He let himself drop, welcoming the cool grass, and rested his head on his knees, his arms wrapped around them.

“Gavin?” A familiar voice called out.

“Mi-Michael?” Gavin replied to the night.

“Yes, it’s me. What’s going on?” Michael answered.

Gavin looked up and saw Michael. He was sitting on his usual branch.

“It-, it’s nothing.” Gavin lied, badly, and wiped away the tears.

“As if I’m buying that,” Michael said and climbed down to the lowest branch, “What’s up, Gav?”

“All this bullying is getting to me again.” Gavin sighed.

“What do you mean with again?” 

“I moved to America to get away from the bullying and to get away from my old routine. My old routine of doing nothing special or particularly interesting.” Gavin laughed at himself when he heard how pathetic he sounded. 

“I got bullied a lot too, you know.” Michael confessed.

“Really? How did you deal with it?” Gavin asked.

“I didn’t exactly deal with it and I wouldn’t recommend my actions to anyone else, but I do understand how you must feel.”

“What can I do?”

“Change.” Michael shrugged.

“What do you mean? I did, didn’t I? I moved all the way here…”

“Yeah, but you can’t really get away from yourself by moving. The scenery didn’t have to change. You need to change, Gav.” Michael blurted out the last part.

“Where did you get all that wisdom?”

“I’ve been around a while. I’m serious though, Gavin. Fake that confidence until it’s real. That way the bullies won’t bother you anymore and once they find out you don’t care anymore, they’ll stop.”  Michael stated.

“I guess you’re right,” Gavin admitted, tears no longer rolling down his cheeks, “Is that how you dealt with it, Michael?”

“Far from, but I’ve seen this strategy work. It’s getting late, shouldn’t you go home?”

“Yeah. Thanks for being such a great friend to me, Michael.”

“Told you so.” Michael grinned.

“I’m bloody serious, Michael!” 

“So am I!”

“Shouldn’t you be leaving as well?” Gavin asked.

“Well, I can’t really go anywhere.” Michael whispered.

“Of course you can. You can come with me!” Gavin offered.

“I really can’t, Gav, I’m sorry. You should go.” Michael said and started to climb up to his branch.

“Why not?” Gavin pressed.

“Because I can’t leave this fucking tree, Gavin!” Michael shouted at him.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“I only exist in this tree.” Michael said, very angry now.

“Are you having a laugh?” Gavin replied, not having any of it.

“Let me fucking show you.” Michael snapped and let go of the branch he was holding at once. 

Gavin watched Michael fall from the top of the tree. He wanted to scream his name, but couldn’t make a sound. There’s now way Michael would hit the ground without breaking any bones. Gavin watched him. And it felt like it all happened in slow motion. All of it, except for the part where Michael hit the ground. His feet touched the ground and he just disappeared, nowhere to be seen or heard.

“Michael?” Gavin finally managed to find his voice again.

“Do you get it now?” Michael said, climbing the tree.

“Wha-, wh-, how did you do that?” Gavin stumbled over his words, his thoughts didn’t make any sense.  _This_  didn’t make any sense.

“I don’t actually exist, Gavin. Well, not really. Not like you.” Michael sighed.

“But why can I see you when you’re in the tree?” Gavin asked.

“Because this tree is where I spent the last few moments of my life.”

“What happened?”

“Don’t you get it, Gav? This tree is where I killed myself.” Michael whispered sadly.

“What? I don’t understand. You’re not making any sense, Michael.” Gavin shook his head violently, trying to wake up from what he thought was a dream. Or a nightmare.

“I hung myself here. Decades ago.” Michael explained.

“Michael… Why?” Gavin asked, tears in his eyes once more.

“I had to get away from it all too. Bullying isn’t anything new. I dealt with it this way and now I’ll spend the rest of eternity here.”

“I-“ Gavin started.

“It’s okay, Gav. It was a long time ago. Now I’m able to help people like you. I’ll always be here for you, understood?” Michael said as his icy hand lifted Gavin’s chin.

“Thank you, Michael.”


End file.
